Blind Faith
by infractus monumentum
Summary: ItaSaku He was far from weak, far from defenseless. And yet she was still with him wherever he went.


Blind Faith

Illicit Memory

-

Trust.

Faith.

Trust.

Faith.

Blindness.

He was living in a world of blindness.

He could feel the world around him, but he couldn't see it.

Nothing but the faint outlines of chakra. 

No longer could he see the blue of the sky.

The green of the grass.

Or the red shirt of the woman who walked alongside him.

Trust.

Faith.

Trust.

Faith.

She could kill him. Why she didn't, he would never know. She refused to tell him.

Actually, more often than not, she remained far more silent than the annoying girl his brother had once complained of.

That, in it's own way, was annoying.

The rare times she spoke, it was often to inform him of things he couldn't tell.

He had to focus chakra into his dead eyes constantly in order to see the outlines he did. He didn't have enough to waste sensing the things around him as well any more.

"Itachi-san… Someone is approaching. They seem to know exactly where we are." 

Her voice was calm – she knew that between them, they could easily kill any hunters.

"Hn. Kisame, most likely."

"Ah." They continued walking. 

Trust.

Faith.

Trust.

Faith.

He had killed the boy she was in love with.

She had every reason to want him dead.

But she had been traveling with him for nearly three months now.

Healing him when he was injured, giving his eyes daily treatments to keep them the way they were and prevent them from deteriorating even more. 

He was hunting her best friend for the demon inside of him.

She had every reason to want him dead.

But she hadn't acted against him, even the times he let his guard down. 

Trust. 

Faith.

Trust.

Faith.

Uchiha Itachi was blind, and far weaker than he used to be (though far from defenseless.)

But Haruno Sakura still hadn't killed him.

Trust.

"Haruno-san… Where is the chakra now?"

"Two hundred meters west, and fast approaching."

Faith.

"SAKURA-CHAN!"

A blur of motion in Itachi's sight.

A blur of black and orange in Sakura's.

Naruto stood about five feet before her. Itachi stood next to her, vacant crimson eyes focused intently on the Kyuubi vessel's frame.

Narrowed emerald met purple. Naruto's eyes blurred that color as they violently changed between red and blue, Kyuubi, vessel, Kyuubi, vessel.

"Uzumaki-kun." Her voice was cold – she sounded so like (_Sasuke_).

Blue won. Wide, hurt… disbelieving.

"Sakura-chan! How – how could you?!"

Trust.

Faith.

Trust.

Faith.

"He needs me."( _And no one in Konoha did._)

"I need you."

Trust.

Faith.

"Don't make me hurt you, Naruto."

_Hearing his name come out of her mouth made Itachi invisibly flinch. Because he could tell she loved the blonde, of course she did, he was all she had had left, wasn't he? But Itachi was protective over his cherry blossom, because he would have long since been dead if not for her._

"Sakura-chan, come home. Leave him, he was Sasuke's problem, he isn't yours!" 

_Hearing his name come out of his mouth made Sakura invisibly flinch. Because she still loved the last Uchiha to die, of course she did, because he had loved her too, hadn't he? But Sakura was protective over her weasel, because she would have long since been dead if not for him._

"Leave."

_Hearing him speak caused Naruto to flinch. Because he sounded everything and nothing like the last Uchiha to die, of course he did, which was why Sakura loved him, wasn't it? But Naruto had long since let go of the past, and she needed to as well._

Trust.

"Is this what you want, Sakura? Is it really?"

_Hearing her name come out of his mouth made Itachi move closer to her. When had these feelings started? He didn't know. He had taken her for granted as something that would be there._

"…"

Faith.

"Yes, it is." 

_Itachi slowly _(so as not to let either of the others notice)_ let out a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding. She had chosen to stay with him._

"Sakura, he's a murderer! He's a S-class missing-nin!"

Trust.

"So am I." And then she was a blur, dangerous.

Faith.

_Whoomf._ The body of the unconscious blonde settled unceremoniously at Pein's feet. 

Sakura turned away, and together with Itachi walked towards the exit.

"I see you've changed your wardrobe, Haruno." Their leader's comment caused her to pause mid-step, craning her head over her shoulder to give him a small fraction of a smile before she continued on her way.

Trust.

"Hold still, Itachi-san. This is going to hurt, but if you don't move, it will work." It was the most she had ever said to him at one time, so he complied without an argument. The small knife of her chakra finished her incisions, and his eyes were finished.

Faith.

He tested one, opening it a small amount without pushing any chakra into it. Wide, worried, but utterly_curious_ green eyes met his.

His lips moved up slightly, into a small, genuine, _grateful_ smile.

Relief washed across her face.

Trust.

She stood, holding one hand out to him. "Itachi-san, I think you'll be fine now."

_He had his brother's eyes. He had the last stage of the Sharingan._

Though they both knew he didn't need it, he took her hand, allowing her to help him to his feet. He still towered over her, the crown of her head barely reaching his chin. "Thank you, Har-… Sakura."

She smiled. "You're welcome, Itachi." 

Then she turned returning to her own room, leaving him to his own devices.

That was when he saw it. The thing his leader had commented on, her change of wardrobe.

The Uchiha fan was emblazoned on the back of her red top – an insignia that made his heart skip a beat. He hadn't worn the crest for nearly five years…

"Sasuke, or me?"

She stopped.

Faith.

Trust.

Faith.

Trust.

Faith.

I.

Love.

"You."

Trust.

Faith.

-----

A/N: Yes, I know, Itachi is out of character – but I had to tweak him slightly. I don't expect him to be exactly the same in that scenario.

Review?


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